Best Friends
by Rosemarie Alanna Ann Belikov
Summary: Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control. Many things have changed over the years since Rose and Dimitri first met, after high school, things become dangerous and their lives will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

We've been best friends for years. Ever since we first met in kindergarten. He was taller then any other boy in the class, that made him stand out from the crowd. He noticed me staring at him and walked over to me. He said hello and I said it back. We were silent for a moment and then I told him my name. He told me his. More silence. The two of us stood there for a few moments and then he asked me if I wanted to play with him. I asked what we would play. He told me house. I agreed.

Every day since then we played house together at school. At his house and at my house. I was the mommy and he was the daddy. My dolls were our children and the boxes we cut and painted was our house. It was so fun. Every day when we got home from school I would go into the play room first and then he would come in after. He would kiss my cheek and ask how my day was after taking off one of his fathers jackets that he put on. I would tell him if it was good or bad and he would ask what I did. I would tell him something from off the top of my head. After that I would ask him how his day was. He would do the same thing that I would. We would pick up our kids from the school box and then go back home where the nanny, my teddy bear, was watching the baby. We would make dinner together and do homework with our kids.

Things went on like this until after fifth grade. As we got older we understood how real things work at a house. His parents got divorced, which made him act even better at our new and improved home (we cut new boxes and painted them to match our older house). He was sweeter, and kinder. He already was before, but it was even better after that happened. I don't think he wanted me to 'divorce' him and take kids from him. My parents relationship hit a ruff patch after my baby brother died from SIDS. I would stay at his house, our house, and lie with him in our little bed, which was made of pillows, and cry onto his chest. He comforted me and I comforted him. We would tell each other that we love each other more often. We had another child, two actually. Nikki and Morgan, twins.

In middle school we were proud to tell people what we did. Sometimes at school 'mommy' or 'daddy' would slip out of our mouths when we addressed each other. That's what we call each other at our house. During seventh and eighth grade we sent one daughter off to college and one of our sons went into high school. One day we were sent into the counselor office and talked to about our little game. She thought something was wrong with us, mentally, playing games like these are supposedly not appropriate at our age. We didn't care. The two of us are perfectly sane. We just play this game. We have since we were five years old. Nothing is going to change that. We are who we are and are proud of it.

After getting home from a school dance a month later, which we went to together, we went straight to his fathers wine cellar (his mother and father have two separate houses since the divorce happened, we own a house in both of them) and took one of bottle. We took one that his father would never no was taken. The two of us went into our house and shared some of the bottle. What was left we saved in the mini fridge and had the next week. We didn't have it the next day because we were so hung-over and sick. His father had an idea about what happened but didn't do anything about it.

In our first year of high school we stopped telling people about what we do because we were getting made fun of. The only people who didn't make-fun of us were our new friends Ivan and Lissa. They understand that we enjoy doing what we do and it doesn't change who we are or how we act. We took out soon to be married daughter, our son who is now in college, and our twin girls, who are in middle school, to the pool. The one in my backyard. Our parents watched us as we played. We didn't really play with our kids, just each other. We splashed water at each other and he threw me in the water. The two of us jumped off the diving board together and went down the slide, me in his lap. Things were like that for the next two years as well. We decided to not go to our first prom so that we could have a nice anniversary together. He ended up taking me out to the cliff that looks over the entire city. We were lying on the top of his car and held hands. He kissed me that night. On my lips. I didn't stop him. I liked it.

In our senior year things were somewhat different. I felt strange playing this around him but blew it off. When I told him about it he said that it must have because we have been friends for so long and have been playing this for so long. When prom came around I wanted to go, he said that he wasn't going to go. I asked him why and he told me that it was because he didn't have a date. I was surprised by this girls had been asking him for weeks, they don't know what we play. I then told him that I didn't have a date and that we should go together. We went. It was amazing. We went home that night, snuggled up next together in bed and fell into a peaceful sleep. That was the first night I had a wet dream about him. I hoped he didn't notice. We still play our game, a little less now, but we still play it. I don't think we will ever stop.

Two weeks until graduation, at school, I told Dimitri what college I was going to. He told me what one he was going to. It's the same school. That was also the day that he asked me if I would move into an apartment with him near the school. I said yes. The night after our graduation Dimitri pulled me into our arms, in our bedroom, and kissed me. I kissed him back. It was so amazing. He was my first and now second kiss. We didn't speak about it all summer.

Now, only three weeks until college begins, Dimitri and I are unpacking at our new apartment in New York. While folding some of my things, he brings it up.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yeah, Dimitri ... I remember our kiss." I say as I set down a small stack of movies. Dimitri sits down in front of me with one leg propped up on the coffee table.

"What did you think about them... did you enjoy the kiss?" He asks; looking away from me. I watch Dimitri for a moment and then stand up from my seat on the floor. I sit back down next to him and lean into his body. "Rose?"

"Yes, I enjoyed the kiss... it was great. I had so many amazing emotions. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yeah, I really did..."

The two of us are silent for a few moments. I look up at him after he stands up from the ground. Dimitri helps me up from the ground and pulls me into his arms.  
More silence.

"Is something wrong?" I ask him nervously. He shakes his head.

"No... Rose, I need to tell you something and I'm not sure how you will take it..." Dimitri tells me. I inhale deeply and then take a small step away from him. I ask him what he needs to tell me. "Roza, I think the two of us should take a break from our playing our game. I love playing it with you, I always have and always will, but I think we should take a break for a short time. I think we need to be more realistic for a little while. Really take everything in our lives in. We don't always when we play the game because we're so concentrated on playing it right."

"How do we play it right?" I ask him. "It's just house." Dimitri smiles down at me and kisses my forehead. I lean into his kiss and wrap my arms around his waist.

"Rose, I was talking to my therapist the other day and she was telling me that she thinks we play this to get away from reality. I'm beginning to believe it. After my parents divorce we played a lot more. And then after your brother died... do you understand what I am saying?"

"Yes, I understand." I say as I look at the bare white wall. "I'm ok with not playing for a while."

"Thank you," he says. I nod. We hold each other for a short time more and then we break apart and begin to unpack our things again. He's right. I know he is. Ever since high school I had been having these feelings for Dimitri that I know a wife would feel for her husband. Real, true love. I've hid it from him. I want to tell him, get all of the emotions out that I've felt for years. But still I don't.

Two days later Dimitri and I are sitting in our dining room. He sits at the head of the table and I sit across from him. We eat dinner and talk about all different things, none relate to my emotions, or his. Until he brings the kiss back up.

"Rose, what did you feel when I kissed you exactly?" He asks me. I look up at him and stare at his beautiful features from across the table. His silky dark hair, whenever we had a girl she would get his hair. I set down my fork and knife and then place my hands onto my lap.

"I felt... great... I loved it. Even more then the one you gave me at the cliff." Dimitri watches me for a moment and then a small smile moves onto his face.

"I didn't think you would remember that."

"Of course I remembered it, it was my first kiss."

"Mine too..." For the rest of dinner we didn't talk about our game or our kisses. After dinner Dimitri and I clean the dishes together and then say goodnight before heading off to bed. I didn't get to bed instantly, to much was on my mind. Dimitri's therapist is most likely right about us playing it to get away from our real lives... but I don't want to stop, it was a good thing in my life... I sigh and roll onto my side. Sleep eventually comes.

_Dimitri's hands run over my sides as his hot mouth presses against mine. I open my mouth, allowing him entrance. His tongue is instantly inside, exploring my mouth. He mumbles sweet things into my ear and I smile. He's so sweet, he always has been. I don't know how long later, but it must have been a while because Dimitri seems to be the King of Foreplay, we are naked and holding each other close as we continue to kiss._

_"Roza, I can't wait to have kids with you..."_

_"Me too, Dimitri, I love you..."_

_"I love you, too..."_

_"Dimitri, I hope he or she has your hair."_

When I wake up the next morning I just stare up at the ceiling. I lay there for hours. Eventually Dimitri knocks and comes into the bedroom. He asks if I am alright.

"Dimitri... can you set an appointment up for me with your therapist?"

"Um, I guess, why? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just need to work some things out..."

Now, a few hours later I am sitting in Dimitri's therapist office, waiting for him to arrive. My hands are clasped in my lap as I tap my foot anxiously. He should have been here a few minutes ago. Where is he? Damn it, I need to get these things out now, where is he? My head flips up to the door as it opens. In walks Dimitri's therapist.

Oh God, it's Ivan.


	3. Chapter 3

Ivan was only fifteen, almost sixteen when he graduated high school. He went to college and graduated with honors at the end of mine and Dimitri's senior year of high school. God I'm so stupid, I should have know that Ivan would be Dimitri's therapist. Wait, so he was the one who could Dimitri that we probably just play the game to get away from our real life. I thought he understood!

"Hello Rose," he says as he sits down across from me.

"Hi Ivan, how nice to see you here." I say as I wrap my arms across my chest. Ivan takes in a deep breath and fiddles with his pen.

"So Rose, why are you here today?"

"I'm not quite sure I want to talk to you about this." Ivan cocks an eyebrow and stands up from his seat. He walks over to the closet and removes something from it. He sets up a tri-pod and then sets a camera on it.

"What are you doing?" I ask Ivan as he turns on the camera. Ivan doesn't answer as he walks over to his seat. He sits down and puts up his right hand.

"I, Ivan Zeklos, promise that nothing that is spoken today shall be said to anyone other then you and myself. This video tape will be seen by no other eyes then yours and mine." He sets down his hand and watches me for a moment. "You're one of my best friends Rose, you can trust me."

"Fine..."

"Ok, tell me what's on your mind, Rose." I lick both my lips and close my eyes for a moment before speaking my mind.

"For years I've had... I've had all these feelings towards Dimitri, ones that I..."

"Rose, pretend I'm not here. Just talk as if you were speaking to yourself." I shut my eyes and don't reopen them. He's not here... he's not here...

"Every since I was capable of knowing how a woman felt towards her husband... I felt that way towards Dimitri. He's my best friend; he has been since kindergarten when he asked if I wanted to play house with him. We've had so many great years together and have spent every moment together. I remember that in high school, the night of junior prom, he kissed me. It was just a little peck but I felt so many things as and after it happened. And after our senior prom, which we went to together, I had a wet dream about him. I've had them ever since. I haven't brought it up because I'm so scared that he will shut me down or say that he thinks of me just as a friend which I don't understand because he kissed me. Then after graduation he kissed me again. We never talked about it until last night. And then last night I had a dream about him. We were kissing and talking about having kids one day. Then we told each other that we loved each other. He's been my best friend for years. He's everything to me; he's always been there for me. Sometimes I can just imagine the two of us together in a real house with a real family..."

"Rose, what are you're true feelings towards Dimitri?" I hear Ivan asks me.

"You're not here." He chuckles.

"Rose,"

"I love him. I always have. I want to tell him, but I'm so scared of being rejected."

"Why do you think he would reject you?"

"I don't know... I don't know if he feels like that towards me."

"You never know Rose; he could feel the same way about you." I open my eyes and watch Ivan. He has a calm expression on, but his eyes read something that I cannot pinpoint.

"What does Dimitri talk to you about?"

"I can't tell you, Rose."

"Fine... I don't know what to do..."

"Tell him Rose; tell him that you love him." I close my eyes again and lay down on the couch. For minutes the two of us sit in quiet.

"Rose, figure out a way how to tell him."

"Why did you tell him that you think we only play the game because it's a way to get away from reality?"

"Because it's true in a way. I mostly think that the two of us continued to play it after your child years because you didn't want the "family" to end. I think that the two of you continued to play because you wanted that relationship. A husband and wife relationship but you both were too afraid to tell each other your feelings so you just kept playing and playing."

I don't speak. I just watch him for a moment before raking my hand through my hair. I rise from the couch and inhale deeply.

"I think I know how I'm going to tell him. I have to go, Ivan. Thank you for making time with me today." He nods and stands up. We hug.

"If you ever need to talk about anything, just call, you don't need to make an appointment."

"Ok, bye Ivan."

"Bye Rose,"

I walk to the door, grab the knob and then throw the door open. Ok, I am going to need my old Halloween costume, some sort of card, and a lot of stuff from the local grocery store.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm dressed in my old Halloween costume. A 50's wife costume. I run my hand through my perfectly done hair as I watch myself in the mirror and then walk into the living room. I check on the apple pie that I made and keep it in the oven so that it won't loose all of its heat. I grab the wine bottle from where I left it on the counter and then walk out into the dining room. I pick up my lighter from the table where I left it and light the tall white candles. They flicker to life. I walk into my bedroom and leave the lighter in one of my bedside drawers. I kick off my flats and then put on my white heels. I look at the clock. Dimitri should be home any minute now.

I leave the bedroom and then back into the kitchen. Everything looks perfect. Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot. I go into the living room and grab the 52 things I love about you card. I bought the large card, but wrote all of the reasons why I love him. I place the card down on my side and the table and then pour both crystal glasses with the red wine. The lock on the front door turns and I walk out into the living room. Dimitri walks inside and stops as he sees me and what I'm wearing. He stands there for a moment and then closes the door.

"Rose,"

"Hi," I say. "Do you like my outfit?"

"Yeah, it's the Halloween costume you wore last year. Rose, why are you wearing that?"

"Well, I talked with _Ivan_, and I decided something." I walk towards Dimitri and remove his jacket. He asks me what I'm doing as I hang up his coat. "Come to dinner."

I take his hand and begin to pull him from the living room and into the dining room. He stops walking as he notices everything. He holds my hand as he looks around the table. I turn towards him and remove the tie that he wears. Dimitri looks down at me and then back at the table.

"Roza," I smile at the little nickname that he gave me years ago.

"Do you like it?" I ask him. He looks back at the table and then down at me.

"Yes, but why did you do all of this?"

"You'll see." I say. "Come on, everything's done."

We part and sit down at our side of the table. While the two of us eat dinner we talk like we would any day. I know that Dimitri wants to ask me all these questions about why I'm doing this, but he doesn't.

"So how was your day today, Rose? What did you do?"

"Well, I was went to therapy and then went to the store to get everything I needed for dinner. I then found this costume when I was looking through my closet. Other then that I was pretty much cooking all day."

"You didn't have to do this Rose, especially since you made my favorite foods, not yours." I shrug.

"I made a pie." Dimitri smiles and laughs. "And I got ice cream. So what did you do all day?"

"Well, I was checking out the campus so that it would be easier for us to get around when we start school. I talked to my mother. My dad texted me, telling me that he needed to talk to me. Ivan called me, telling me that he needed to talk to me, but I was to busy so I haven't called him back. Maybe I should call them both later."

After we finish dinner Dimitri tells me about when his mother called him. He told me that she was joking about wanting grandchildren soon. A lot of grandchildren. We're both thinking that maybe she wasn't kidding. After the story I got the pie and the thing of ice-cream. When I come back out I see Dimitri standing by my side of the table, reading the large card. Dimitri looks up at me and I see tears in his eyes. I stand there, frozen, for a few minutes and then walk over to the table. I set down the things I hold in my hand. He turns the card and then clears his throat.

"I love the way you call me Roza. I love the way you look at me with those beautiful brown eyes. I love the way you kissed me. I love your large heart." Dimitri wipes a tear off of his cheek before continuing. "I love when we lay together, because nothing else matters at that moment." His voice cracks on the next sentence. Number 52. "I love you, Dimitri. When did this happen? When did you finally decided that you love me?"

Tears are falling down his cheeks as he stares down at me.

"I've always known, Dimitri. For a few years I held them back, not thinking that they were really true emotions, just something from our game... but then I started to realize that I love you for all of those 52 reasons and more." I begin to recite some of the other things I wrote in the card. "I love how when we play our game, you treat me like a Queen, better, even if we aren't playing the game. I love how when you hold me, you hold me like you'll never let go."

I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his chest. Dimitri closes the card and wraps his arms around me. He holds me like he always does.

"Do you love me?" I ask him.

"Why did you set this whole thing up?" Dimitri asks me, ignoring my question.

"When Ivan and I talked... he told me something that I agreed with. I think that we probably played the game after elementary school so that our life wouldn't end. Our fake life. That we didn't want our relationship to end. I never told you before because I was scared of being rejected. But he told me to tell you about how I feel. He never told me if you loved me or not, so I decided to just do it. Get it over with. I didn't want to just say it though, I wanted to it to be special. So I dressed up like this and made you dinner so that I could prove to you somehow that I would be a good girlfriend and then wife. Of course I won't be like this exactly, I'm not this perfect 50's wife and you cook better then me..." Dimitri chuckles.

"Rose... I don't want a perfect wife or girlfriend. I just want you. I always have." I look up at him.

"Really?"

"Yes," Dimitri says before bending downwards and pressing his lips to mine. A smile moves onto my face instantly. I throw my arms around his neck and he wipes away the tear that has fallen. "I love you so much Roza."

Before our small kiss can go any farther his cell phone goes off. He lets out an upset huff as he breaks the kiss and answers.

"What?" He asks. "Dad, slow down. No, what happened? Dad! What do you mean we have-? Why does she matter in this? Why the fuck did you do that?" Dimitri only curses like that when he's really pissed or mad. "Dad! Why would you do that? No, I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you for this. We'll be there in half an hour."

He hangs up. After a few minutes he looks down at me.

"What? Dimitri is everything ok?" I ask him.

"Less then a minute ago I was the happiest person in the world... now I'm going to have to run from everything I've ever known. And I have to take you with me."

"What are you talking about?"

"My father... I can't tell you right now... pack only what you need. The essentials and a few things that mean everything to you, things that you can not live without. Then call your parents and tell them you love them."

"What are you talking about? Dimitri answer me!"

"You know why my parents broke up and got divorced?" I nod. "I didn't tell you the truth. My parents got divorced because of what my father does for a living. He's a hit man... and now because he fucked up, we're on a different hit mans list. We have to leave the U.S."

* * *

**Links for things is on profile.**


	5. Chapter 5

"My father screwed another hit man over. The man wanted revenge so he decided to look more into my family. He found out so many things about us. And since we've known each other for so long, he found stuff out about you. He decided not to go for my sister, but for me because he knows that my father, sadly, thinks the most about me. I'm his only son. The man also decided to put you on his list so that it would be "funner" for him. Knowing that I am very protective of you, the chase would be better."

"I still can't believe this. You used the non-existence word, "funner" and we're about to start school, we just started this whole new life together. Now it's going to be ruined."

"No, it won't be, it will be hard, but it won't be ruined. I am going to make sure that you are safe and that we will be alright together."

"I can't believe we have to flee the country." I say as I zip up my bag. Dimitri walks up to me and wraps his arms around my waist.

"I'm so sorry that this happened to you." I don't answers as I grab my cell phone and dial my parents' number. They pick up.

"Hello,"

"Hey Daddy," I say. "Is mom there?"

"Yeah, do you want to talk to her?"

"Can you put the phone on speakerphone so that I can talk to you both?"

"Yeah," my father does turns it on and my mother says hello. "What's going on sweetie?"

"I can't explain a lot right now, but I want you both to know that I love you guys and I always will."

"Rose, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you, but I'm going to be ok, I'm safe with Dimitri." Dimitri tells me that we need to go, now. "I love you guys so much."

"Rosemarie-"I hang up. Tears fill my eyes as he walks over to me and takes my phone.

"What are you doing?" Dimitri throws down my phone and slams his hard boot onto it. "What the hell?"

"He can trace you with your phone." He says before grabbing my bag. "Now, let's go."

Fifteen minutes later the two of us are on his father's jet. Dimitri holds my hand tightly as we take off. I've never really liked flying. It freaks me out. After we're flying steadily, Dimitri releases my hand. I have no idea where we're going, Dimitri hasn't told me yet.

"Rose, we might need to do some drastic things for our safety."

"Like what?" I ask him.

"We might need to change our entire wardrobe, cut our hair, and dye it... the whole lot."

"But you love my hair, and the color." Dimitri smiles and kisses my cheek.

"I love you, your hair is my favorite physical characteristic you have, but you are the main thing. If I have you, I'm happy."

"Well, I don't want to dye it... I can cut it, but I'm not dyeing it."

"Ok, that will work. Hell, you can just wear wings if you want."

"I'm great with wearing wigs! I'll totally do it!"

"I'm going to cut my hair." Dimitri says. I take in a small breath and place my hand in his gorgeous hair.  
I know that cutting his hair will be the best, for our lives. "It'll grow back."

"I know, but you've always had this hair style and I love it." Dimitri smiles and kisses my temple. "So, where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there."

"Oh come on, Dimitri!" He smiles down at me and kisses my forehead. "Please tell me?"

"You will see when we get there. No, get some sleep. When we get there it will be morning and I would rather you not have jet leg. You're horrible when you're cranky."

I roll my eyes and lean into his body. Dimitri wraps his arms around me and begins to sing me my favorite lullaby. He's always sung this to me, and our fake children. I smile and feel myself drift off into sleep. When I wake up I am still in Dimitri's' arms. We've landed, thank god, and Dimitri takes me into his arms as we exit the plane. He takes me to the black car and he puts me inside before going to get our stuff. Where are we? Dimitri gets into the drivers seat and we begin to drive to where ever we're going.

"Where are we Dimitri?" I ask him.

"Well, we are in Thailand."

"Thailand?" I ask him. "Why Thailand?"

"It's somewhere where he won't look for us right away." Dimitri answers as we continue to drive.

"Where will we live here?" I ask.

"My father owns a house here. No one other then the two of us knows about the house."

"Why did you hide this from me for so many years?"

"I was scared that you would stop being my friend. I've always loved you Rose, I didn't want to loose you." I look towards him and lean over to kiss his cheek. When I lean back Dimitri stops the car and then grabs something from one of his bags. When his arm comes back he takes my hand and puts the object in my palm. I look down at it and smile when I see what it is.

"You still have this?" I ask Dimitri as I examine the piece of plastic. When Dimitri and I got "married" we used these little 25% rings from a little machine in the roller skating rink. This is Dimitri's, a plastic black ring with green and brown swirls. It doesn't fit him anymore, it barely did then, but it still has all the meaning.

"Of course I do, do you still have yours?" I smile as I zip open my bag and remove the red heart shaped plastic ring.

"Of course,"

Dimitri smiles as I slip the ring onto my left hands pinky finger. It fits. Eventually I doze off and when I wake up I'm in a bedroom. I sit up in the brown covered bed. I run a hand through my wild hair and look down at my body. I'm in my underwear; Dimitri must have taken me in here when we arrived. I feel something cold hit my body and I look to the right. Two large doors are open. I rise from the bed and walk over to the doors. I originally walk over to shut them, but stop when I see how beautiful it is outside. We're in the middle of the mountains. Oh God, it's beautiful. I turn around as another door opens and I see Dimitri walk inside.

"Good afternoon," he says as he walks over to me.

"Hey," I say. Dimitri walks over to me and wraps his arms around me. "I really slept that long?"

"Mm-hmm. So, before my father called, where were we?" Dimitri asks with a smile. I smile back up at him ad place my hand on the back of his neck.

"Right around here," I tell him before pressing my lips to his.


End file.
